Minister Nyesom Wike, who previously served as Governor of Rivers State, announced on Thursday that the discord between him and Governor Siminalayi Fubara had been put to rest. Following a high-level mediation led by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Wike revealed that a mutual understanding had been reached, paving the way for unity and cooperation between the two leaders.
“We have all agreed to work together with the governor, and the governor also agreed to work together with all of us. We are members of the same political family,” Wike stated.
The minister further acknowledged that the crisis had lingered for months but described the Thursday agreement as conclusive.
“Yes, just like humans, you have a disagreement, and then you also have a time to settle your disagreement.
“And that has been finally concluded today, and we have come to report to Mr. President, that is what we have agreed. So for me, everything is over,” he expressed.
Urging his supporters to remain calm and united, Wike said,
“And I enjoin everybody who believes to work with us, to also work together with everybody, that there’s no more acrimony. There’s nothing to say.”
In a significant development, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has welcomed the peace agreement, crediting divine intervention for the breakthrough and highlighting its potential to mark a new era for the state.
“For me, it’s a day we have to thank Almighty God. For me, it’s very important that this day has come to be,” Fubara said.
Highlighting the crucial role of peace in driving progress, he stressed that stability is essential for Rivers State’s growth and development.
“What we need for the progress of Rivers State is peace, and by the special grace of God, this night, with the help of Mr. President and the agreement of the leaders of the state, our leader, peace has returned in Rivers State,” he stated.
Recall that the fallout between the duo of Wike and his political godson, Governor Fubara, began shortly after the latter assumed office in May 2023.
The rift escalated in October when Wike’s allies in the Rivers State Assembly launched an impeachment bid against Fubara.
Reports allegedly claimed that the governor responded by demolishing the Assembly complex following a suspicious fire, relocating legislative sessions to temporary quarters.
The ensuing months saw a bitter power struggle that paralyzed governance in the state. Although President Tinubu brokered a tentative peace agreement in December 2023, which granted Wike’s allies key appointments, the truce was short-lived. The conflict reignited, prompting President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, in a bid to restore order.
President Tinubu’s declaration effectively stripped the governor of executive authority for six months, citing escalating insecurity and governance deadlock. Consequently, he appointed a sole administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, to oversee the state’s affairs.
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